Royal Rivalry Bares Social Tensions Behind Jordanâs Stable Veneer The standoff between King Abdullah II and his half brother, Prince Hamzah, wasnât just palace intrigue. It hinted at Saudi meddling and highlighted wider tensions within Jordanâs complex society. A poster of King Abdullah II of Jordan on a street in Amman on Wednesday.Credit...Mohammad Ali/EPA, via Shutterstock April 10, 2021, 5:00 a.m. ET AMMAN, Jordan â The prince and the general paced the garden outside the princeâs palace, locked in a deep argument. The prince was shouting, the general was barely audible. But the general made the threat.